


The Path in the Woods

by Arthur Autumn (Arthur_Autumn)



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Gen, I have no idea how to tag this story honestly, Lessons to be learnt, Magic, Metamorphosis, Talking Animals
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-26
Updated: 2015-05-26
Packaged: 2018-04-01 09:24:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,510
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4014412
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arthur_Autumn/pseuds/Arthur%20Autumn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the coldest winter and with the arrival of the hottest summer, Liam's mother falls ill and his only chance to save her is to go deep into the forest and follow its path to find the elusive sorceress and ask her for medicine.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Path in the Woods

This tale took place a long time ago, in a far of land, where a young man named Liam lived alone with his mother in a small cabin in the woods, far from the noises of the village, to where he only needed to go once a week to sell the wood he collected and buy food and clothes for him and his mother. They had, therefor, a peaceful life.

One year, a terrible winter, harsher than usual, struck the land. This meant people were in bigger need for Liam's wood to feed their hearths, and so he earnt more money that year and could afford more food for the cold months. They had never had so much at once and, knowing it was very unlikely they would ever be able to enjoy such a feast again, they ate all of it instead of saving some for the future.

After the winter, a warm and bright spring arrived and, after that, a hot summer with a blazing sun. The people at the village had no more need for wood, and so Liam earnt less money. Since they had not saved any food, he and his mother spent most the days of the hot summer hungry. Due to the heat and the lack of food, Liam's mother fell ill one day.

'Son,' she said to him from her bed, as she was too weak to stand on her feet, 'you must go into the forest and find the cottage of the old sorceress that lives there. They say that she will get anyone who's pure of heart whatever they ask for. You are a good boy, son, so I trust you can find her and ask for a medicine for your sick mother.'

Liam, wanting nothing more than to save his mother, got what little provisions he could take with him and left the next morning.

'Never leave the wood's path,' his mother had told him before departing. 'If you follow it, you'll find the witch's house in no time, but if you don't, you can get lost and never be able to come back.'

Following her advice, Liam never stepped out of the path and walked for what seemed like hours. As he got deeper into the forest, he heard a low and slow voice calling him, but he could not see anyone around him.

'Hello. Hello. Can you hear me, sir?' said the voice.

'I can hear you, but I can't see you,' Liam answered. 'Show yourself.'

'I'm down here,' said the slow voice.

Liam looked down and saw, to great surprise, that the voice belonged to a frog.

'A talking frog! I didn't know frogs could talk.'

'We all talk in these woods,' said the frog. 'Where are you headed?'

'I'm looking for the witch's house. I must ask her for medicine for my mother, who's ill and too weak to move,' Liam explained.

'In that case, you still have a long way ahead,' said the frog. 'I would like to ask you for a favour, though.'

'A favour?'

'I went out of my pond searching for food for my tadpoles, but I’m afraid I went too far and now I'm lost. Could you help me it again? If I don't get back soon, my children will starve and die.'

Liam felt bad for the frog, but he refused. 'I can't help you now. If I stay and help you, I may not be able to bring my mother's medicine back in time. Plus, I was told not to get off the path, or else I won't be able to make it back home. I'm sorry.' With this, he left the frog behind with a disappointed face and continued to walk, following the path as always.

He walked for another couple of hours, getting deeper into the woods, which became darker. Then he heard another voice. This one had a higher pitch than the frog's, but Liam could not see anyone around him.

'Hi. Hi. You there, can you hear me?' said the voice.

'I can hear you, but I can't see you,' was Liam's answer once again. 'Show yourself.'

'I'm right in front of you,' said the high-pitched voice. 'Look down.'

Liam looked down and saw, mildly surprised, that the voice belonged to a small hedgehog.

'A talking hedgehog! So you too can talk.'

'Everyone and their mothers can speak in these woods. Sadly, not all of them can shut it,' said the hedgehog. 'Where are you headed?' Liam told him about the sorceress and his mother. 'In that case, you're half way there, but may I ask you for a little favour first?'

'A favour?' asked Liam.

'Yes, just a little one. See, I'm a small hedgehog, which means the other hedgehogs make fun of and bully me, and steal all my berries and mushrooms that took me so much work to gather. You look like a smart and strong lad. Could you help me build a storehouse where I can keep all my food safe from those bullies? I they keep stealing my food, I'm afraid I won't make it through this hot summer.'

Liam felt bad for the hedgehog, but he had to refuse this time too. 'I can't help you now. It's getting late and building a storehouse, no matter how small, takes time. If I stay and help you, I may not be able to get back in time to bring my mother her medicine. I'm sorry.' With this, he left the hedgehog behind with an angry face and continued to follow the path.

As he saw the sun setting through the trees in the horizon, he heard yet another voice. This one sounded jovial and happy, but he could not see anyone just yet.

'Oh! Wait, please, wait! Can you hear me?' said the voice.

'I can hear you, but I can't see you,' said Liam, looking to the ground in front of him again. 'Show yourself.'

'I'm right behind you,' said the happy voice. 'Let me walk around you.'

Liam then saw, not really that surprised anymore, a small golden dog, a puppy, waving its tail.

'A talking dog. Why doesn't it surprise me?'

'I can talk, indeed,' said the pup. 'Where are you headed?' Liam told his story again. 'Oh, in that case, you're almost there! It's less than couple of minutes straight ahead. It won't take you long, so, may I ask you for something first?'

'What is it you want?' asked Liam.

'See, ever since I was born, I've lived alone. I've never had any family, any friends, no one to play with, and everyone who goes through this path always ignores me. All I want is for someone to play with me, even if it's just for a few minutes. This heat is terrible and I don't think I will make it through the summer, so I would really like to feel loved before I die.'

Liam felt terribly bad for the dog, but he told himself he could not just stop when he was so close to getting his mother's medicine. 'I can't help you now. The sun will set very soon and if I don't get back quick, I may not make it in time to save my mother. I promise to come back, however, and take you home with me.' With this, he left the pup behind with a sad face and continued to follow the path.

As the dog had said, Liam found the old witch's house in no time. It looked like a simple cottage, not that different from his own, except the wood it was made of looked ancient, and Liam got the feeling the house had stood there for centuries. He saw smoke coming out of the chimney and a hint of light in one of the windows, indicating that there was someone inside. He knocked, but there was no answer.

'Hello?' he called, and knocked a second time. Still nothing. 'Is there anyone there?' He knocked a third time, and when he did not get an answer again, he opened the door himself. 'Hello? I'm looking for the sorceress?'

From inside, a strong smell of roses, jasmine and chamomile hit him in the face and at first he almost chocked. He found a circular room full of books, bottles, and artefacts whose purpose he ignored completely. On one side of the room — if you could say a rounded room has sides — the hearth burnt bright and illuminated the chamber along with candles of all colours placed here and there. And opposite the door, a big black marble throne decorated with vine and purple flowers, on which rested a hooded figure reading a big leather-bound book with a title written in letters Liam had never seen before.

Liam, intimidated by all this, hesitated at first, but remembering his sick mother, stepped forward. 'Hello? Sorry to come uninvited, but I knocked three times,' he explained himself, but the sorceress did not acknowledge him. 'Can you hear me? Hello?'

'I can hear you,' a raspy and ancient voice came from under the hood, 'but I can't see you.'

'I'm here,' Liam muttered, confused. 'Behind your book?'

The witch finally took her eyes from the old tome and looked right at him, although he could not see her eyes, for they were hidden behind a curtain of white hair. 'A young man, I see. Surely you come to ask for a favour, don't you, boy?' she asked.

'Yes, I do,' Liam said with hope in his eyes. 'It's my mother. She's ill and in need of medicine, but we don't have any money and—'

But before he could tell his story, the woman interrupted him, raising her voice. 'Oh, so you need me, isn't it?'

'Yes, I do.'

'And why should I?' she asked. 'Come on, boy, give me a reason.'

'A reason?' Liam was perplexed. 'If you don't help me, my mother will die!'

'The same way that frog's tadpoles will die without their father? Or the same way that hedgehog will die of starvation? Or maybe the same way that dog you met not even an hour ago will die all alone without knowing the love and kindness of others?' Liam remained silent. How the witch knew about all this was beyond his understanding. He wanted to protest, but she interrupted him before his words could leave his mouth. 'I only help those who deserve it, but you've showed no kind for others. I won't help you, so get out of my house this instant!'

Before he was able to protest, the door behind Liam opened suddenly and a gust of wind threw him backwards and out of the house, leaving him lying on the ground. When he stood up, the house had completely disappeared. No trace of it was left, as if it had never been built. All that was left was the path. There was nothing he could do but turn around, walk back home and spend whatever time his mother had left with her. He told himself he had it coming for trusting a witch.

He looked up and saw the moon shining bright in the night sky and thought it was no use trying to walk all the long way home at this hour without some needed rest first. Deep inside, he would rather not face his mother empty handed, for the shame of failure was too much. He lied on the forest's ground and tried to sleep.

The next morning he hoped to wake up in his bed to find that all had been but a bad dream and that his mother was alright, but still he found himself in forest, his clothes drenched in sweat from the terrible, terrible heat. There was nothing he could do about it, so he looked for some berries to eat and started his journey back home.

As he walked, he realised that he did not recognise the path. Indeed, it was the same path, but the forest around it looked significantly different. He walked and walked, expecting to find the little golden pup again, hopefully still alive, but it did not appear anywhere.

As midday approached, Liam seemed to recognise parts of the path, but this did not make him feel any better, for it looked like the beginning of the path, the extreme nearest to the exit.

'This doesn't make sense,' said Liam. 'I shouldn’t be here until at least sundown.'

As he walked, he seemed to hear something: a voice crying, low and slow.

'Oh, my poor little tadpoles,' the voice said, 'not only must they be hungry, but with this heat they're surely boiling in the pond's water.'

'The frog!' said Liam, who looked for the source of the voice. 'Are you there, frog? It's me, Liam.'

'Oh, it's you,' said the frog, coming out of the grass on the side of the path. 'Did you find the sorceress?'

'Yes, but she told me I was not worthy of being helped.'

'I would like to say it surprises me,' said the animal, 'but it actually doesn't.'

'I'm sorry I didn't help you before,' he apologised. 'If you still want to, I can help you find your pond now. Hopefully, they're still alive.'

The frog pondered for some time and finally said, 'Well, everyone needs a second chance and you're my only hope right now.'

Liam took the frog in his hands and, for the first time in his life, disobeyed his mother and stepped out of the path. Together, they looked for the pond and after some time, they finally found it. The tadpoles were still alive and kicking, since the shadow of the trees had kept the pond away from the heat.

'Thank you, human,' said the frog. 'You're not that bad after all. Here, I'll show you how to go back home.' It showed Liam another path and told him to follow it until he did not need to follow it anymore. Liam was confused, but when he tried to ask the frog what it meant, the pond had disappeared.

Although it was a new path, there were things that seemed familiar to him. 'This forest is strange,' he said. 'Really strange.'

As the afternoon arrived, he heard another familiar voice, this time little and high pitched. 'Stupid badgers and weasels, stealing my hard-earnt food! Blast them all!'

'The hedgehog!' said Liam when he recognised it. 'Are you there, hedgehog?'

'Who's asking?' said the hedgehog, who was upside-down when Liam found it. 'Oh, it's you. Did you find the sorcerer?'

'Yes, but she refused to help me because I was too selfish.'

'Am I supposed to feel bad for you?' said the animal. 'I'm too busy now, plus I'm not in the mood for talking, so if you excuse me.'

'I'm sorry for not helping before,' Liam apologised again, 'but if you want me too, I could help you build that storehouse you needed.'

The hedgehog pondered, not really sure if he could trust Liam, but he finally nodded and said, 'Alright, but it better be a high quality storehouse. Come on, before summer is over.'

The both of them started to gather wood and, listening to the hedgehog's demands, Liam built a little storehouse, big enough for such a small hedgehog, with a door, windows, and enough room to store food to last until next spring. He even added a little garden.

'Thank you, human,' said the hedgehog. 'Turns out you're not really as awful as I thought. As a token of my gratitude, I'll show you the actual path you should follow to find your way home.' Just like the frog before it, the hedgehog showed Liam a different path and gave him the same indications: to follow it until he did not need to follow it anymore. Before he could turn around and ask for an explanation, both the animal and the storehouse disappeared.

'This forest is really, really strange,' Liam told himself again.

He kept walking, and as the sun was setting, he tried to listen for a third voice. It was not long until he heard a sad, heart-breaking whimper.

'It surely is the dog,' Liam said. 'Are you there, dog?'

The whimper stopped and, jumping out of the grass, the pup appeared. 'You came back!' it said. 'Did you find the sorceress?'

'Yes, but she didn't help me because I've been a bad person.'

'I'm sorry to hear that,' the dog said, and Liam could tell it was actually telling the truth. 'Is there something I could do to help?'

'I'm afraid it's no use now,' said Liam. 'I'm trying to get back home, but this forest is terribly weird and it's always changing. Still, I'm glad I found you, because I wanted to take you home with me. It's not fair that you have to spend all your life alone, so what do you say? Will you come with me?'

The pup opened its big eyes even more. 'You really mean it?'

'I do,' said Liam, and the dog started to jump around of happiness. 'Is that a yes?'

'Yes! Yes! Thank you, human!' said the little pup, jumping to his arm. 'Let me show you the actual path we must follow,' it said, and pointed Liam towards a different road. 'We should be there before the moon is high in the sky.'

'As long as you don't disappear,' Liam said, and started to walk.

As the dog promised, the moon had barely came out when they arrived to their destination, but to his surprise, it was not the exit of the forest, but the same house he had seen the day before.

'This is the witch's house,' said Liam as the dog jumped off his arms and ran towards the door. 'Hey, wait! Where are you going?'

The dog opened the door and Liam followed. Inside, he was surprised to find the frog and the hedgehog too. The sorceress was there too, still sitting on her throne. She waved her hand and the three animals' bodies started to change: they grew considerably, they changed colour, clothes appeared where there was naked skin and fur, and before Liam could ask what was happening, he had three young men before him. The frog was now a tall man with curly hair; the hedgehog was a shorter man with messy hair; and the pup was a young blond man who could not stop smiling.

'I see you've finally learnt, stranger,' said the witch, whose voice was now softer and nicer. She took off her hood, and when Liam's mother asked him later what she looked like, all Liam could said was that she had that look grandmothers have. He could not recall her face, what colour her eyes were, if she had wrinkles, or if she had all her teeth; only that she looked like a grandmother. 'My servants, Harry, Louis, and Niall, tell me that you have passed the test, even if it took you two tries. I can help you now, child, but with one condition.'

Liam, who had lost his voice due to the metamorphoses he had just witnessed, finally reacted. 'Will you help me? Even after how I acted?' he asked.

The witch smiled. 'Everyone deserves a second chance. All you need to do is remember what the forest taught you. Here, give this to your mother,' she said, handing him a small bottle with a silvery liquid.

'But will I get there in time? I've already spent two days in the woods and I'm afraid the way back will take another day. Could I spend the night here, at least?'

The witch laughed, but it was not an evil laugh, but an endearing one. 'Oh, child, all you need to do is follow the correct path. You won't even need to stop here to rest; just step outside and you'll see what I mean,' she said.

Although he did not completely understand what she meant, Liam did as she said: he turned around, opened the door, and, to his surprise, he saw the road was now considerably shorter. So short it was that he could perfectly see his house at the end of it. He waved the witch and the three men goodbye, and closed the door. He tried to look back again, but the witch's house had disappeared once again. He then ran to his house, where his mother lied still in bed, and gave her the medicine.

It was only a matter of days until his mother could walk again, completely recovered. The awful summer passed and the weather went back to normal. Summer after summer, Liam would occasionally go back to the woods to visit the frog, the hedgehog and the dog, growing older year after year, but never forgetting the lesson the forest had taught him, which he passed onto his children and grandchildren until one night he went to sleep and did not wake up the morning after.


End file.
